| TO: | Honorable Kenneth Armbrister, Chair, Senate Committee on Natural Resources |
| FROM: | John Keel, Director, Legislative Budget Board |
| IN RE: | HB3152 by Bonnen (Relating to the potability of and requirements for removing contaminants from groundwater.), As Engrossed |
The bill would authorize a person or municipality and the Executive Director of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) to apply for and make Municipal Setting Designations (MSD) in muncipalities over 20,000 population that restrict the use of groundwater so that response actions to contaminated groundwater are limited or eliminated. The TCEQ would certify or deny proposed MSDs.
The bill also would provide authority to municipal authorities to regulate the pumping, extraction, and use of groundwater for drinking purposes.
Although the bill would provide for the TCEQ to charge a fee to a municipality applying for an MSD, it is not expected that increased administrative costs and the corresponding amount of fees assessed to cover those costs would be significant.
No significant fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.
A municipality applying for an MSD could incur the application fee cost as set by the TCEQ. However, this cost is not expected to be significant.
| Source Agencies: | 501 Department of Health, 582 Commission on Environmental Quality
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| LBB Staff: | JK, KG, CL, TL
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